The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-06-30

uWcll UeuWcou TIC CdNdIlIldu anu illd1ud-
ha rivers in Georgia. They were an ex
ceedingly fierce and war-like tribe, and,
after many conflicts, they settled in North
Carolina, on the upper waters of the Neuse
and Tar rivers. The TuscarOras occupied
at one time fifteen towns, and mustered
| many hundred fighting men. In common
with the other tribes they lived at peace
with the white settlers until they became
dissatisfied with the encroachments of the
'pae-faces, 'and uniting with other tribes,
to the number of l 800 warriors they, on
the night of the 22d of September, I'LL,
fell upon the unsuspecting whites, and
several hundred men, women and children
| We're murdered in the most barbarOus
manner and much property destroyed,
mainly on the southern shores of Abe
marie Sound and the lower Roanoke.
Tom Blunt was chief of the TuscaroraS
living in BERTHE county, and did not par
| ticipate in the massacre. Governor spots
wood of Virginia was active III preventing
the tribes in that State from uniting with
the TuScarOras in a general war on the
whites, and the Governor of South Caro-
lima sent CO.. Barnwell with a small body
of militia and several hundred friendly
Indians from the Cherokee, Catawba,
Yemassee, Greek, Winyaw and Esaw tribes
to the rescue of the white people in East
ern North Carolina. Governor Hyde of
North Carolina called out his militia, who
Joined the South Carolinians and friendly
Indians, and the united forces marched
to the upper portion of Craven county,
where the TuScaroras had built a fort.
On the approach of the militia the TuSca-
roras boldly marched out of their works
to give battle Col. Barnwell made a
furious assault on them. killing thee hun
dred and capturing eight hundred. who
4 Ccl., I'M
from South Carolina. Most of the Tusct-
roras who escaped retired from the State
and Joined the Five Nations Of New York.
Tom Blunt, sometimes known as liking
Blunt" remained in Bertle county, and
the Leg islature of the State granted the
TuScarOras about 64 900 acres of land in
Berte county, free from all taxes, and
provided that no deed to white man
from the Indians for this land should be
valid as the said Tuscarora Indians are
Indians are by nature ignorant and strong
y addicted to drinking. and may be easl-
ly imposed on by designing persons" In
the language of the law 174S) it was ''but
just that the ancient inhabitants of this
province shall have and enjoy a quiet and
convenient dwelling place in this their ma
tive country This grant was to James
Blunt, Chief of the TuscarOra Nation,
probably a son of Tom, and was after
wards Gn 1873 re-enacted to "Whltmel
Tutfdick," chief or headman Of the Tusca
roras. This laud is still known as In
dian Woods, and is located in a township
of BERTHE which bears that name. Maj
John DevereuX of Raleigh has a treaty
bet tween the whites aud Tom Blunt, signed
with his marx" which is in the torn of
an arrow head Finally this branch of
the Tuscaroras decided to go to their
brethren of the Six Nations, and leased
this land to three gentlemen of BERTHE,
who required, however, that they leave
one of their tribe in possession. Accord
ngly '.Indian Ned was LETT, and became
the last Of the Tuscaroras in North Caro-
lima.
Having leased their land, the Tuscaroras
moved, about April 21, 1866, from BERTHE
county to New York. Mr.. Robert Jones,
Jr, the Attorney General of the State,
advanced 81, 200 to aid in buying wagons
and provisions, on the credit of their land.
In 1909 the Legislature of North Caro-
lima on petition of Sacarusa, Chief of the
Tuscaroras, enacted a law changing the
/ lease made by that tribe to the lands in
Bertie county to q fee simple deed, and
many of the descendants of the three gen
tlemen heretofore alluded to as lessees
still hold their interest in the Indian
Woods" When the title to these lands
was thus confirmed, Indian Ned was
told he could go to his brethren, but he
| declined, and remained in North Carolina
| till his death, about 1882.
We learn from Wheeler 5 "reminiscences
of North Carolina that remnant of the
/ Tuscai oras yet survive, and under their
! Chief, Mount Pleasant, live on their reser
walton near Niagara Falls. He also states
that the present King of the Sandwich
! Islands is grandson of Sacarusa, the last
/ OF the Tuscarora Chiefs i'll North Carolina.
AS this tribe had shed the blood of the
| whites, we find no county, stream or other
| locality named for them, and only a little
water station on the Atlantic Il North
! Carolina Railroad, III Craven county, bears
! the name of the TuScarOras.
We are indebted TO the Tuscaroras for
the beautiful North Carolina word ''Chau-
tauqua," a name which, We learn from
Lawson's History, they first applied to the
northwest branch of the Ntuse river.
| When the TuscarOras removed to New
York they doubtless gave the same name
to the lake which has become famous
as a gathering place for the educators of
that State. John Lawson, who devotes
over one hundred pages of his history to a
description of the Indians in North Caro-
lin, was killed by the Tuscaroras in I'LL
| in what is now Craven county.